The Democratic Party icon lived longer than any president in US history, serving one term between 1977 and 1981, going on burnish his reputation on the international stage by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and establishing a major hub for diplomacy and conflict resolution in the form of the Carter Center – which advocates for democracy and human rights around the world.

After suffering an undisclosed illness, he elected to stop medical treatment last year, choosing instead to receive hospice care at home. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden led the tributes, saying that the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.”

In his statement Mr. Guterres highlighted President Carter’s leadership while in office and overall contributions to international peace and security, “including the landmark Camp David Accords” – the 1978 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel which remains in force.

The Secretary-General also noted the gains made through the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks which led to the 1979 SALT II Treaty between the US and the Soviet Union – limiting nuclear proliferation – together with the Panama Canal Treaties which enabled ownership of the key waterway linking the Pacific and Atlantic to return to Panama in 1999.

After leaving office, President Carter turned his attention to addressing global challenges of inequality, human rights, inadequate housing and other social justice issues.

“President Carter’s commitment to international peace and human rights also found full expression after he left the presidency,” said the UN chief.

“He played a key role in conflict mediation, election monitoring, the promotion of democracy, and disease prevention and eradication,” Mr. Guterres added.

A friend of the UN

“These and other efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and helped advance the work of the United Nations.”

President Carter, together with former South African President Nelson Mandela, founded The Elders group, to advance the human rights and peace agenda.

Mr. Guterres said President Carter would be remembered “for his solidarity with the vulnerable, his abiding grace, and his unrelenting faith in the common good and our common humanity.”

He extended his deepest condolences to the Carter family and all citizens of the United States.

He concluded by saying the former president’s “legacy as a peacemaker, human rights champion and humanitarian will endure.”

President Carter is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He lost his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, in November last year.

Between 16 and 18 January, at least three civilians were killed and 14 injured in shelling and other attacks impacting Manbij, Ain al-Arab and other villages near the Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo region.

UN partners also reported that shops in the main market were damaged when an improvised bomb detonated inside a car in Manbij.

These incidents have forced people from their homes and obstructed aid access, OCHA reported after sending a mission to the city on Monday.

The mission visited the Manbij National Hospital and met with local officials, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and local non-governmental organizations to identify and address the issues at stake, according to Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

OCHA and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also completed a monitoring mission on Monday to the Ain Al Bayda water station in eastern Aleppo.

Deadly remains

UN partners have recorded 69 explosive ordnance incidents over the first two weeks of January due to contamination, in which 45 people were killed and 60 others wounded.

“Since 26 November, a total of 134 new areas with explosive remnants of war have been identified by partners across five governorates – Idlib, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Latakia,” said Mr. Haq.

As people continue to move and return to their communities, UN partners are calling for increased and flexible funding for mine action, including risk education and emergency clearance.                   

Meanwhile, with water and sanitation services suspended in many displacement camps due to funding gaps affecting more than 635,000 people, OCHA asked for increased funding to ensure the continuation of its services.

$770 million response plan launched in Mali

On Tuesday, the UN in collaboration with Mali’s transitional authorities, launched a $770 million humanitarian needs and response plan in the capital Bamako to support millions of people across the country this year.

The plan aims to address the urgent needs of 4.7 million people affected by conflict, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks, according to the Deputy Spokesperson.

Mostly women and children

Nearly 80 per cent of the people to be reached with aid are women and children who are in need of food, water, healthcare and protection support.

Last year, UN partners mobilised nearly 40 per cent of what was required – just over $270 million – enabling lifesaving assistance and protection to reach 1.8 million people.

The Acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator on the ground, Khassim Diagne, said it is urgent that the entire humanitarian community and donors renew their commitment to addressing essential needs in the region.

UN rights experts urge Thailand to halt Uyghur deportations

Independent UN human rights experts have called on Thailand to immediately stop the deportation of 48 Uyghurs to China, citing serious concerns over potential torture and inhumane treatment.

“The treatment of the Uyghur minority in China is well-documented,” the Human Rights Council-appointed experts stated. “We are concerned they are at risk of suffering irreparable harm.”

The experts emphasised the international prohibition on refoulement, which forbids returning individuals to countries where they face real risks of torture or cruel treatment. They urged Thailand to provide urgent medical care to the mostly Muslim Uyghurs being held.

The 48 individuals are part of a larger group of around 350 Uyghurs detained in Thailand since 2014 after crossing the border irregularly. They have reportedly been held incommunicado for over a decade, without access to legal representation, family members or UN officials.

No return

“It is our view that these persons should not be returned to China,” the experts said. “They must be provided with access to asylum procedures and humanitarian assistance, including medical and psycho-social support.”

The experts highlighted that 23 of the 48 Uyghurs held suffer from severe health conditions, including diabetes, kidney dysfunction and paralysis. “It is essential they receive appropriate medical care,” the experts added.

Thai authorities were reminded of their obligation to treat all detainees humanely and with dignity, ensuring access to legal representation, medical assistance and the ability to communicate with lawyers and family members.

The plea underscores the urgent need for Thailand to uphold international human rights standards and protect the Uyghur detainees from potential harm.

Special Rapporteurs and other experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and are fully independent of any government or organization. 

Mariana Katzarova, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, urged Russian authorities to release lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser and Igor Sergunin, who were sentenced on 17 January to prison terms on “extremism” charges.

Their trial, held in the Petushki district court of the Vladimir region, was criticized as a sham.

“This week, when we mark the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, the Russian Government continues reprisals against lawyers for carrying out their professional duties,” Ms. Katzarova said.

She called for the immediate release of three lawyers, and for the verdict against them to be annulled.

Chilling effect

The sentencing of Mr. Kobzev, Mr. Liptser and Mr. Sergunin serves as a “chilling warning” to lawyers considering politically sensitive cases in Russia, Ms. Katzarova said, describing the charges as baseless under international law.

“The term ‘extremism’ has no foundation in international law and constitutes a violation of human rights when used to trigger criminal liability,” she said.

The trial took place behind closed doors, although around 50 people were allowed into the courtroom as the verdict was handed down, including journalists and lawyers, according to a news release issued by the Special Rapporteur.

Five others, four of them journalists, were arbitrarily detained, apparently to prevent them from attending the hearing. They were later released.

“The persecution of lawyers and journalists is part of an alarming pattern of targeted repression and State control that is silencing independent media and the legal profession throughout Russia,” Ms. Katzarova added.

Escalating repressions

The Special Rapporteur’s 2024 report to the UN Human Rights Council documented continuing attacks on the legal profession in Russia.

“Lawyers have been imprisoned, prosecuted, disbarred and intimidated simply for carrying out their professional duties,” Ms. Katzarova said.

She noted “widespread use” of vague legal definitions and unpredictable, often abusive, interpretations, as well as closed trials which have allowed Russian authorities to misuse and instrumentalise counter-extremism, counter-terrorism and national security legislation to stifle critics, ban anti-war speech, imprison legitimate political opponents and punish and endanger their defence lawyers.

“This practice must end,” she added.

Independent expert

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was established by the Human Rights Council in October 2022, and subsequently extended.

Ms. Katzarova was appointed as the Special Rapporteur by the Council in April 2023 and assumed her function on 1 May 2023. She is not a UN staff member, does not draw a salary, and serves in her individual capacity, independent of the UN Secretariat.

Covering the period of September to November 2024, the report describes intensified Russian attacks on populated areas, deliberate strikes on energy infrastructure, and efforts to restrict fundamental rights.

“Behind each of the facts and figures in this report are stories of loss and human suffering, showing the devastating impact of the war across Ukraine,” said Danielle Bell, Head of the HRMMU. 

“September marked the highest monthly toll since July 2022, with my team documenting 574 civilian deaths and 3,032 injured over the three months,” she gravely noted.

Rising civilian casualties and suffering 

93 per cent of the casualties recorded occurred in Government-controlled areas, particularly in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson, where military activity remains intense. 

Modified aerial bombs, which can now glide tens of kilometres into large cities like Kharkiv and Sumy before exploding, have exacerbated the devastation.  

The bombardment of Zaporizhzhia on 7 November alone killed nine civilians and injured 42, while short-range drones killed 67 and injured 528.

Russian forces have also resumed large-scale aerial attacks on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure.

On 17 and 28 November, strikes further diminished Ukraine‘s energy capacity as winter approached, disrupting electricity, water, heating, and transportation systems in multiple regions. 

Continued ill-treatment of POWS

The report details continued executions, torture, and ill-treatment of POWs.

Since August 2024, there has been a notable increase in credible allegations of executions of Ukrainian POWs, with at least 62 victims in 19 incidents.  

Independent verification of these killings has confirmed the deaths of 15 Ukrainian POWs. 

Interviews with 42 recently released POWs, including 11 women, revealed that all of them had experienced torture, including beatings, being subjected to electric shock, and prolonged solitary confinement.  

Sexual violence, against both women and men, was also prevalent.

On the other hand, while the report acknowledges mistreatment of Russian POWs, particularly during their initial detention by Ukrainian authorities, it is noted that these instances appeared more isolated compared to the widespread torture of Ukrainian prisoners. 

Russia’s strengthened control over occupied territories 

Furthermore, Russia has imposed its laws over occupied regions, in violation of its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the requirement for residents to obtain Russian citizenship to keep their property rights.

Homes that were forcibly abandoned have been confiscated, making it nearly impossible for displaced residents to return.

The Russian authorities have also introduced a new cultural policy aimed at “integrating” children from occupied territories into Russian society.

This policy includes mandatory military training for children, including lessons on grenades, small arms, and anti-tank grenade launchers.

Religious freedom has also been restricted by both governments.

In Crimea, Jehovah’s Witnesses face persecution under Russia’s anti-extremism laws, while a Muslim group has been disbanded for alleged “extremist” activities. 

On the other hand, new legal provisions regarding religious organizations entered into force in territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine, limiting freedom of belief and religious expression.

The path forward

As the war continues to devastate Ukraine, the report calls for the critical upholding of international humanitarian and human rights law. 

“The armed attack on Ukraine has continued unabated for almost three years. Amidst so much suffering, it is imperative to intensify efforts to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law,” said Ms. Bell.  

As winter sets in and the war shows no end in sight, the urgency of these efforts becomes even greater.  

Read our story here:

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King, visited UN Headquarters in the 1960s to protest the Viet Nam conflict, the civil rights leader likened the anti-war movement to the struggle for equality for Black people in the US, declaring then what has today become a rallying cry in the continuing battle against racism.

On 15 April 1967, a delegation led by Dr. King held a meeting with the legendary Ralph Bunche and other top UN officials. Mr. Bunche was the first African American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and Dr. King was the second.

Watch our report from the archives about UN legend Mr. Bunche, here.

During the meeting, Dr. King presented a petition, calling for an immediate and peaceful solution to the Vietnam conflict (1961-1975). Earlier that day, he had marched alongside 125,000 protesters in what was the first of many mass marches in opposition to the war.

Watch UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive episode on the world-renowned civil rights advocate below:

‘No justice without peace, no peace without justice’

Outside UN Headquarters in the spring of 1967, Dr. King read aloud the petition, which even today, echoes calls for peace in ongoing wars around the world.

“From towns and villages, cities, campuses and farms, we have come in tens of thousands to march and rally at the United Nations in New York and at the birthplace of the world organization in San Francisco on the 15th day of April 1967,” he said. “We the participants in today’s unprecedented national peace demonstration, although of many national origins, faiths and shades of political opinion, are united in our conviction of the imperative need for an immediate, peaceful solution to an illegal and unjustifiable war.”

“We are determined that the killing be stopped and that a nuclear holocaust be avoided,” he said. “We rally at the United Nations in order to reaffirm our support of the principles of peace, universality, equal rights and self-determination of peoples embodied in the Charter and acclaimed by mankind, but violated by the United States.”

In terms of the priority of the peace movement and the civil rights movement, Dr. King said “from a content point of view, the issues are inextricably tied together”.

“In the final analysis, there can be no peace without justice, and there can be no justice without peace,” he said.

Inspiring future generations

The civil rights leader continued to advocate for peace throughout the last year of his life before he was assassinated in 1968, exactly one year after he visited UN Headquarters. His anti-war activism reinforced the connection between the conflict abroad and injustice at home in the US.

Dr. King’s lifetime efforts, from the March to Montgomery to his iconic I Have a Dream speech in Washington, have inspired future generations, including his own granddaughter. Earlier this year, 15-year-old activist Yolanda Renee King addressed an audience in the General Assembly Hall at a special commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, marked annually on 25 March.

“I stand before you today as a proud descendant of enslaved people who resisted slavery and racism like my grandparents, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” she said from the green marbled podium in the Assembly Hall.

“My parents, Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, have also dedicated their lives to putting an end to racism and all forms of bigotry and discrimination,” said the author of the children’s book We Dream a World, which pays tribute to her celebrated grandparents.

“Like them, I am committed to the fight against racial injustice and to carrying on the legacy of my grandparents who championed social justice and equality,” Ms. King said, calling on young people around the world to take action.

“We must connect via the internet and organise across national boundaries around the world. This will open up new possibilities for global campaigns to advance human rights and social justice in all nations. I hope that my family’s legacy of social justice advocacy will inspire my generation to action and to confront issues affecting our world.”

Watch her full statement below:

Stories from the UN Archive

UN News is showcasing epic moments across UN history, cultivated from the UN Audiovisual Library’s 49,400 hours of video and 18,000 hours of audio recordings.

Catch up on UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here and our accompanying series here.